Police: New Bedford man jumped from window because he didn't want to go to jail

Friday

Jan 25, 2013 at 12:01 AMJan 25, 2013 at 2:53 PM

NEW BEDFORD — New details emerged Thursday about the events that led to a 21-year-old city man jumping out a third-floor window on Hathaway Street as he was apparently attempting to flee police.

CURT BROWN

NEW BEDFORD — New details emerged Thursday about the events that led to a 21-year-old city man jumping out a third-floor window on Hathaway Street as he was apparently attempting to flee police.

Detective Capt. Steven Vicente, head of the Major Crimes Unit, said neighbors were outside Derek Luz's home at 131 Hathaway St. about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, accusing him of stealing tools from their basement just before he jumped 35 feet to the pavement below.

Police said Luz was waving what appeared to be a handgun at the neighbors. Vicente said the weapon turned out to be a pellet gun.

When police arrived, Luz jumped out the window, despite his girlfriend's effort to stop him, according to Vicente.

A police officer asked Luz why he jumped as he lay on the ground, and Luz answered that he didn't want to go to jail, Vicente said.

David Jones, one of the neighbors who went to Luz's home, said the man jumped "head first" out the window and hit a chain-link fence, breaking his fall, before striking the pavement.

Vicente said Luz faces charges of receiving stolen property over $250, larceny from a building and assault with a dangerous weapon in the theft of the tools and the incident with the pellet gun.

He clarified earlier police reports, saying neighbors didn't chase Luz and never entered his building. "They were outside looking for their property," he said.

Luz was transported to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, where a spokesman said Thursday he was in fair condition.

Tim Trommenschlager said he and about six family members went to Luz's home to get his tools back.

"He stole all my power tools. He wiped out the entire cellar," he said, adding he believes the thefts occurred Tuesday and Wednesday.

Trommenschlager said Luz tried to sell a sander that belongs to him outside a convenience store in the North End neighborhood. He said he asked Luz on Wednesday about his tools and the man told him he "got rid of 90 percent" of them.

He said one of Luz's neighbors called police because of the theft and Luz waving a pellet gun.

Jones said the group went to Luz's home to support Trommenschlager but Luz refused to come out and asked them from the window to leave.